Construction equipment

ABSTRACT

An apparatus, typically used in combination with a conventional backhoe, for moving sections of rod, as, for example, as part of an arrangement for laying underground pipes.

United States Patent NU-3,595,526

[72] inventor William E. Faver [56] Refe Cited m A I No 51323? UNITED STATES PATENTS f Julyu 1969 2,882,011 4/1959 Ripstein 254/29 [45] Patented 1 2,954,603 10/1960 Moberty 254/29X [73] Assignee Edith Faver Primary Examiner-Robert C. Riordon Evansville, Ind. Assistant E.raminerDavid R. Melton Attorney-Warren D. Flackbert [54] CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT 7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl. 254/31,

254/106 ABSTRACT: An apparatus, typically used in combination [5 1] Int. Cl E2lb 19/00 with a conventional backhoe, for moving sections of rod, as, [50] Field oi Search 254/29- for example, as part of an arrangement for laying underground 3l, 105-107; 226/l58 I60, I62, 165, I66 pipes.

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I INVENTOR 203 Mum/v 5. film/1? ATTORNEY CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT As is known, an important problem is presented in the laying of underground pipes, as beneath a street or like paved surface, without breaking such street or paved surface. The latter is becoming considerably more important in that more and more legislation is being adopted calling for severe limitations as to the breaking of any roadway. An important solution to the aforesaid problem is the subject of pending US. Pat. application Ser. No. 755,l62, filed Aug. 26, I968, now abandoned, and entitled METHOD AND EQUIPMENT FOR LAYING UNDERGROUND PIPE, having the same inventor.

While the aforesaid pending application is directed to the overall problem, the present invention is concerned primarily with the movement of the connected rod sections through apparatus operated by a conventional power source, the latter being a known backhoe. The use of a backhoe provides ready movement to the site of the underground pipe construction, where the invention is readily combined therewith for effective operating results.

Briefly, the invention is defined by a supporting framework mounted on the rear of a conventional backhoe, the latter having a hydraulic system for operating the invention, where the linkage arrangement-on the backhoe provides for any desired mechanical advantage. The invention utilizes floating jaws which, through operation of the backhoe, selectively grasp a section of rod and move such rod section a desired increment. The invention is so arranged that by the simple relocation of the aforesaid floating jaws to another position, the rod section can be readily reversed in movement.

A better understanding of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein FIG. I is a top plan view, partly fragmentary, showing the apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation, partly fragmentary and partly broken away, corresponding generally to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in end elevation, partly broken away and partly in vertical section, showing details of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view, also corresponding to FIG. 3,

showing further details of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one of the floating jaws utilized in practicing the invention; and,

FIG. 6 is an environmental depiction of the invention used in combination with a conventional backhoe.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Referring now to the FIGS., the invention is defined by an elongated body member 12 having a base 120 and upturned side edges 12b and 12c. Support plates 14a and 14b are respectively secured to the aforesaid side edges 12b and 120, as by welding, for example. Each of the side plates 14a and 14b has an opening for receiving the ends of an axle 15 supported by a member 100 forming part of a conventional backhoe 10. In other words, the aforesaid axle 15 serves as a means for mounting the support plates 14a and 14b onto the backhoe l0 and, hence,- positions the invention for use.

The linkage arrangement from the backhoe 10 includes linkages 10b, pivotal at 10b onto member 10a and pivotal at 10c onto other linkages 10c. Linkages 10c are pivotal at 10d to linkages 10d, where the latter are pivotal at We onto the sideplates 14a and 14b. Other linkages I0fpivotally interconnect linkages 104', where the other ends of linkages 10f are secured to a carriage assembly 20, to be discussed in detail herebelow. Movement of the aforesaid linkage arrangement is accomplished by means of a piston 16a operated by an hydraulic cylinder 16 mounted on the backhoe 10 (see FIGS. 2 and 6).

The base of the elongated body member 12 mounts spaced-apart channel members 17a and 17b, where such receive the side edges of a slidable plate 25. Movement of the aforesaid slidable plate 25 is selectively restricted by tensioning means, such as threaded bolts 26, for example, which permit either faster or slower sliding of the plate 25. The plate 25 mounts, at its midportion, an upstanding plate member 25a, being positioned, as by welding, for example. The plate member 25a has an opening 25b therein through which sections of rod 30 are adapted to pass.

Carriage assembly 20 is disposed in movable relation on the top surface of the plate 25, and includes sidewalls 20a and 20b interconnected by rods 200 at the top edges thereof. Bars 20d and 202, respectively, interconnect the undersurfaces of the sidewalls 20a and 20b at opposite ends of the carriage 20 and in the plane of the plate 25. The arrangement is such that, considering the direction of movement, bar 20d is spaced slightly in front of the leading edge of the plate 25, while bar 20e is almost in engagement with the lagging edge of the plate 25, and conversely when the plate 25 moves in an opposite direction. The carriage assembly 20 further includes pairs of pressure members 20f and 203 which are secured, by screw means, to the inner surfaces of sidewalls 20a and 20b.

With particular reference now to FIGS. 4 and 5, floating jaws 35 are employed in the invention, each having an angled sidewall which is selectively engaged, in pushing relationship, by an angled pressure wall on the pairs of pressure members 20fand 20g. Each floating jaw 35 has an indented portion 35a adapted to receive a rod engaging member 37 (somewhat exaggerated in size in FIG. 4), the latter being positioned by screw means or the like, and defining a floating jaw assembly.

As should be apparent from the FIGS., the angled walls of the pairs of pressure members 20f and 20g are oppositely disposed. In other words, and as will be described herebelow, with the use of the floating jaws 35 as in FIG. 4, i.e. in engagement with pressure members 20f, the rod sections 30 move in one direction, i.e. from the top to the bottom of the FIG. If it is desired to move the rod sections 30 in an opposite direction, i.e. from the bottom to the top of the FIG., the floating jaws 35 are readily released and repositioned for engagement by the pressure members 20g.

In use, a rod section 30 is introduced through the opening 25b in the upstanding plate member 250, and typically, rollers 40 are provided for reasons of additional support. The piston 16a of the hydraulic cylinder 16 is operated, causing movement of carriage assembly 20 in a desired direction through linkages 10b, 10c, 10d and 10f.

The vertical height of the invention during use is, of course, dependent upon the operator of the backhoe 10, in that, as stated, the apparatus is supported on the backhoe 10 by the axle 15 which extends through the sideplates 14a and 1412.

In any event, movement of the carriage assembly 20 from the top to the bottom of FIG. 4 results in engagement of the pressure members 20f with the angled walls of the floating jaws 35, meaning that the rod-engaging members 37 are in gripping contact with the rod section 30. The rod section 30 is caused to move a desired distance of travel, where the amount of pressure exerted on the plate 25 through the tensioning means 26 serves to influence the force exerted on the rod section 30.

As further rod sections 30 are needed, such are added in a conventional manner. As stated, when it is desired to operate the invention so that the rod sections 30 go in a direction opposite to that described above, the floating jaws 35 are repositioned into contact with the pressure members 20 It might be noted that the bars 20d and 20:: not only serve an assembly purpose, but the distance of each from the plate 25 permits immediate setting, i.e. grasping of a rod section 30, by the rodengaging members 37 of the floating jaw assemblies. As stated, when in operation, bar 20e is proximate to the lagging edge of plate 25, while bar d is slightly ahead of the leading edge of plate (F IG. 4 is representative of a position prior to such).

It should be understood that the invention provides a positive and effective approach for the movement of a rod, as, for example, in the preceding illustration, in an arrangement for laying pipe beneath a roadway. The invention is rigid in use, and quite adaptable to mounting and operation on a conventional backhoe. While distance of movement for eachpower stroke can vary, in one example, the rod sections move approximately 7 inches. Additionally, the individual components may change in configuration. In this connection, and by way of example, the upstanding member 25a might actually be two upstanding members in a spaced apart relationship. Moreover, the invention is adaptable for many end uses, and, therefore, the description hereabove should be considered illustrative.

lclaim:

1. Structure for moving a rod axially comprising supporting framework, a plate member slidable on a portion of said framework, an upstanding member disposed on said plate member, a carriage assembly movable on said plate member, pairs of pressure members disposed on said carriage assembly on opposite sides of said upstanding member, each pair of pressure members having pressure walls, said pressure walls of one pair of pressure members facing said pressure walls of the other pair of pressure members, and floating jaw assemblies selectively engaged by said pressure walls of either pairs of pressure members and having portions in selective gripping relationship with said rod.

2. The structure of claim 1 where said supporting framework is mounted on a backhoe.

3. The structure of claim 2 where said backhoe supplies the power to move said carriage assembly.

4. The structure of claim 1 where said plate member slides between channels, and where means are provided for selectively tensioning said channels to control movement of said plate member.

5. The structure of claim 1 where the position of said floating jaw assembles in engagement with said pressure walls of one pair of pressure members permits movement of said rod in one direction, and where the position of said floating jaw as semblies in engagement with said pressure walls of the other pair of pressure members permits movement of said rod in an opposite direction.

6. The structure of claim 1 where said floating jaw assemblies selectively engage said upstanding member.

7. The structure of claim 1 including each and every novel feature thereof, and each and every novel feature of the inventions disclosed herein. 

1. Structure for moving a rod axially comprising supporting framework, a plate member slidable on a portion of said framework, an upstanding member disposed on said plate member, a carriage assembly movable on said plate member, pairs of pressure members disposed on said carriage assembly on opposite sides of said upstanding member, each pair of pressure members having pressure walls, said pressure walls of one pair of pressure members facing said pressure walls of the other pair of pressure members, and floating jaw assemblies selectively engaged by said pressure walls of either pairs of pressure members and having portions in selective gripping relationship with said rod.
 2. The structure of claim 1 where said supporting framework is mounted on a backhoe.
 3. The structure of claim 2 where said backhoe supplies the power to move said carriage assembly.
 4. The structure of claim 1 where said plate member slides between channels, and where means are provided for selectively tensioning said channels to control movement of said plate member.
 5. The structure of claim 1 where the position of said floating jaw assembles in engagement with said pressure walls of one pair of pressure members permits movement of said rod in one direction, and where the position of said floating jaw assemblies in engagement with said pressure walls of the other pair of pressure members permits movement of said rod in an opposite direction.
 6. The structure of claim 1 where said floating jaw assemblies selectively engage said upstanding member.
 7. The structure of claim 1 including each and every novel feature thereof, and each and every novel featurE of the inventions disclosed herein. 